How do people navigate non-conventional love in the Lion City? Produced by Wisdom of Monkeys Productions, written by Olivier Ahmad Castaignede and directed by Nanda Yadav, Love etc. brings intertwined unconventional love stories, told in the form of a funny, gritty, heart-warming play featuring original songs and dance sequences by Gillian M Tan and Aiswarya Nair.
Laurent, an aspiring French playwright living in Singapore, is developing an auto fictional play about love in the Lion City, together with Sanjay, a part-time SQ pilot, part-time budding director.
The play features characters based on real-life divorced Malay woman Siti and widowed Chinese man Soon Kong, two HDB neighbours in their forties, who for years have been unwilling to confront their love for each other.
One day, their worlds fall apart as their worst filial fears come true: Fikka, Siti's daughter, is going out with angmoh Laurent, (played by Cedric Amsellem pictured above) and CK, Soon Kong's son, turns out to be gay and dating Sanjay! Will the play work its magic and convince the parents to confess their love to each other as well as accept their children's partners at one stroke?
Fikka (played by Dew Chaiyanara pictured above) wants the world to know that she is an adventurous and rebellious young woman who craves a taste of what the real world has to offer outside of her safe and comfortable life.
She is not afraid to chase her dreams and always follows her heart's desire -- although sometimes she may not even know what exactly it is that she truly wants. Playing out her mother's worst nightmare, she falls for Laurent.
This angmoh is idealistic but myopic. He took a chance by coming to study in the Lion City and now aims to write a play in English. And since he also met with love here, he is (foolishly) trying to combine his artistic endeavor with his personal life.
Then there's Sanjay (played by Shahrin Johry pictured above) - he is comfortable in his own skin and has travelled the world that makes him liberal in a sense. Someone who is loving, understanding and charming.
He struggles with the myopic mindset in SG society, he hopes to break the cycle and be an agent of change for equality. Struggling in his own ways is CK (played by Lim Junjie Jey), who poignantly remarks "I wish I had shown him how much I really care, even if they stare."
Soon Kong (played by Gavin Low pictured above), CK's loving father and a major plant enthusiast. Ever since his wife passed away years ago, he singlehandedly raised his son, and constantly worries about him.
He shares his love for plants with his next-door neighbour, Siti (played by Hashi Ssan pictured above). Soon Kong's "partner in crime" is a bubbly independent strong woman that loves and wants the best for her daughter, Fikka. Her tormenting marriage history has led her to lose trust in men . However, she feels lonely at times . Will she give herself a second chance to love and be loved again?
Tickets can be purchased at Peatix Ticketing Page
a. 90 Goodman Rd, Singapore 439053 Goodman Arts Centre, Black Box
